Kathmandu has been engulfed in unprecedented turmoil as violent Gen Z-led protests spiraled out of control, leaving at least 19 dead and exposing the fragility of Nepal’s political stability.
What began as an outcry against the government’s ban on social media platforms soon erupted into a nationwide revolt, targeting the country’s most prominent political figures.
On Monday, mobs stormed the capital, forcing security forces to open fire. The violence peaked with shocking scenes of five-time Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba, being thrashed by protestors. Videos circulated online showed both bloodied, with the Nepali Congress leader being escorted to safety by the army.
In an even more tragic turn, former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal’s wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, was burnt alive after demonstrators set their house in Dallu on fire. She later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
The rage did not stop there. Homes and offices of several top leaders were attacked:
- Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s private residence in Balkot was torched just hours before his resignation.
- President Ram Chandra Poudel, Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, and former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal all faced direct assaults on their properties.
- Bishnu Paudel was chased and attacked as mobs pelted stones at his house.
Despite Oli’s resignation and the lifting of the social media ban, the protests continued, fueled by anger over deaths, corruption allegations, and growing resentment against the privileges of politicians’ children — often dubbed “nepo kids”.
With youth unemployment at nearly 20% and over 2,000 Nepalis migrating abroad daily for work, frustrations have now exploded into a generational revolt.
The Nepali Army and security chiefs have issued a joint appeal for restraint, urging dialogue to restore peace. However, with youth anger spilling across cities and villages, the path to stability remains uncertain.
